1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to recording/playback apparatus such as a magnetic recording/playback apparatus in which a magnetic recording/playback head is moved radially of a rotating magnetic disc to record a signal on any track, play back a signal from any track or perform both recording and playback, and an optical recording/playback apparatus which includes an optical pick-up for similarly performing recording/playback using an optical disc or a photomagnetic disc. More particularly, the invention relates to a recording/playback apparatus including an auto-changer capable of holding a number of disc-shaped recording media, moving these recording media automatically to a recording/playback position, and exchanging one recording media for another that is to be subjected to recording/playback.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention relates to electronic still video cameras which electronically photograph a subject and record the resulting still image on a magnetic recording medium, other types of magnetic recording apparatus, magnetic playback apparatus which read a still video signal recorded on a magnetic recording medium and reproduce the signal on a television screen, and magnetic recording/playback apparatus which possess both recording and playback functions. Only one magnetic recording medium is capable of being loaded in any of these apparatus. Therefore, when a magnetic recording medium which has been recorded on or played back from is to be exchanged for another, it is necessary to remove the magnetic recording medium set in the apparatus and load the other magnetic recording medium in its place.
In order to perform this operation efficiently, an apparatus equipped with a freely movable magazine capable of holding a plurality of magnetic recording media has been proposed. For example, see the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 60-243851. The magazine accommodates a plurality of magnetic recording media in an upright state and is moved and positionally controlled by a movement drive mechanism in such a manner that a prescribed magnetic recording medium or an empty location on the magazine will arrive at a predetermined position (a position at which one magnetic recording medium can be exchanged for another). When a magnetic recording medium which has been recorded on or played back from is to be exchanged for another by utilizing this magazine, it is necessary to (1) remove the magnetic recording medium from the recording/playback section and place it in a predetermined empty accommodating location of the magazine, (2) move the magazine until the magnetic recording medium to be used next arrives at the exchange position, and (3) extract the new magnetic recording medium from the magazine and load it into the recording/playback section. Thus, exchanging magnetic recording media is a time-consuming operation.
Accordingly, there is need of a device, referred to as an "auto-changer", that has the capability of performing an exchange among a plurality of recording media rapidly and automatically.